Shania Twain spent a good part of her show Wednesday at the Veterans Memorial Arena signing autographs. She sang, too, while she delivered what seemed a senseless scribe to adoring fans. It was like she was cooking, while she talked on the phone and threw out the trash.

Maybe that's how easy performing has become for her. Her vocals were spot on all night and she even nailed her signature bark, every time she tried it.

She opened the set with the self-loving Man, I Feel Like a Woman, and there were fireworks as she moved around the circular stage. She was wearing waist-high pants, and a Hi-Liter green top with boots -- an astronaut tried and true. She looked less than stunning: Nothing like the glorious black and white figure in her You're Still the One video. She looked mundane, with her hair simply dragging behind her like a lazy child.

Maybe it was meant to be that way. The whole show was very interactive and she wanted badly for the audience to get to know her. She even allowed a 10-minute digression where she introduced her band members and each got a chance for a shout out or a bad joke. She took pictures with her fans and high fived people around stage. She led a sing-along of You're Still the One, with the lights turned on, and she made sure that everyone got the point that this was the third to last show on the tour, and that she wasn't going to be touring for a long time to come.

The music lingered like smoke on a ceiling. She ran through hits like Up! and Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under, but they were both emoted with the same carefree nature, with the same blase charm of a white-toothed belle.

The Shania Twain of the country album, delivered Whose Bed... with the fire of a woman whose had enough. But Wednesday, the furious, "So next time you're lonely / Don't call on me / Try the operator / Maybe she'll be free," was delivered with the same emotion as the victorious, "She's not just a pretty face / she's got everything it takes."

That Don't Impress Me Much had her signing autographs, again and she was distracted. The words came out but the meaning stayed behind.

Maybe it is that she's comfortable. She's got an 8 piece band that drops high harmonies with perfect timing; her guitarists can go through scales without breaking a sweat; and she can go through the motions while making hats and programs into eBay gold.

Twain has sold more records than most people will during their whole career. Even her latest offering, Up!, which hasn't made an immense showing on the airwaves, has sold well over 10 million copies. She is at the top of the pop game.

She knows that well: She knows that what it takes to get there is to deliver a set that's high on hits and loaded with crowd-pleasing moments, like wearing a Jaguars jersey or bringing local high schoolers on stage to play with her.

But in the end, that's not what makes a good show. She's forgotten that her songs mean a lot to a lot of people, and if she's not feeling them how could we.

She rushed the stage, mad and full of energy -- a gun fired, bang, but no blood, no glory, just a blank.

The rain had stopped, but the skies still were letting go of a light drizzle. Normally, there's a wave of music coming from the Amsterdam Sky Cafe before a concert at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, but Wednesday it was quiet outside.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Mike Vorburger was standing in the rain in his Navy uniform. A few months ago, he was in Iraq as part of the Mobile Construction Battalion 14. The battalion was attacked by 120mm mortar while in formation. Five battalion members were killed.

Vorburger was injured, and the wounds still are there. One of them hasn't yet fully healed and was covered Wednesday by a tiny bandage. The others are scattered all over his arms; they're like potholes in flesh, which he said every once in a while still open up.

There's a part of his arm he doesn't feel. As he walked toward the entrance of the arena, he limped.

It's all so different, now. It was raining; the trees were green; for nothing more than a whim, they could eat a burger or go to a convenience store.

Or they can hope -- as they did last Thursday -- that the USO, a service organization for the armed forces, got them tickets to catch Shania Twain.

Randy McGhee also was there Wednesday. He is the battalion's chief petty officer.. He said there's a bit of ambivalence about coming to a show.

They're having fun. They're drinking beers, while the rest of the troops are back in Iraq with the possibility of death every minute.

While the battalion took some pictures, they joked that they don't get in formation anymore.

It's nice that they can joke again. It's nice that they can be at home, with smiles and hopefully even a quick recital of "Man, I feel like a woman," they can forget, if only for 90 minutes, the wounds of war.

But in the end, that's not what makes a good show. She's forgotten that her songs mean a lot to a lot of people, and if she's not feeling them how could we.

This guy is a fool. He just shows he doesn't get it. He must not have seen the same shows we have. Maybe Shania should have stripped down like this guys new hero does in her video, or showed up with a baby on her hip.

-Chris

__________________Shania's PlaceShania: often imitated, never duplicated!!

I have no doubt the law of physics will apply to your recent inflamatory remarks in print to Shania Fan's (thinly disguised as a concert revue). For every reaction there is an equal and opposite one, but I guess you have found that out by now.

HOW DARE you suggest, as a Radio Station Manager of 55 years of Age - that MY Fan loyalties are in poor taste, because according to your revue and preamble, Shania is 'past it' or going through the motions somehow putting no Heart and Soul into her Job!

I flew across the Atlantic to witness myself her Grand Rapids Concert, and though her voice was poor, due to a throat infection I witnessed a giant party where the boundary between Superstar and Fan was so blurred as not to matter. We sang and swayed, laughed and cried as hit after hit rolled over our senses. Pyrotechnics and streamers showering above and over us, glorious lighting, sound and vision attacking you from every direction.

I saw Fans dancing anywhere they could, being told off by Security and forced back to there seats. I saw a member of Shania Twain's Band "Radall Waller" take time, before the concert to speak to a wheelchair bound painter called "Natasha" just a row behind us, only to return to her at the end of the amazing concert with her Shania Photo signed in white ink, To Natasha Forever and always, Love Shania Twain!

No heart and Soul Eh? Poppycock! Shania did not do that so I could throw it in your face, Shania is a warm human being who remembers her childhood and Schooldays. Even in Superstar mode she has more compassion and love than a dozen other people I could list. As a private person I can almost see why Mutt Lange fell in Love with Eilleen and had to Marry her within 6 months or so.

Shania the Superstar can't quite manage to switch that side of her off, the loving Wife and mother, the small girl from Timmins, even when on stage - she cares for people and loves hanging out with her fans the only way left for a Mega Superstar - in concert.

My friend called out to me and suddenly there I was, in my Kilt on Stage with Shania Twain getting my Polaroid take next to her. I told her just how much the UP! Tour has pleased her fans, hundreds of thousands of us in dozens of countries and I saw her tear up, she looked me right in the eye from 14 inches away, more beautiful than any picture or Video I have seen and touched my very soul. You did not see that the other night did you?

Richard my friend was with me, winning the Raffle and he said to Shania "I am going to give you a gift you can take home with you tonight" Shania asked what it was and Richard Said "EILLEEN YOUR MUSIC MAKES THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE" I saw Shania's reaction, she was moved beyond expression and could not speak - she just hugged Richard to bits for what seemed an age, whispered something off Mic in his ear and wiped the tears from her eyes as she walked us off the stage, more worried about our well being than herself.

Seconds later she was belting out the next song, business as usual. YOU JUST DO NOT GET IT DO YOU?

Shania has CLASS, Grace and Style way beyond her years.

Despite being a Mother and Housewife she has Grit and Guts enough to blow you out of the water for sure.

She does not NEED Nashville or you because she has a cross section of demographics and ages in her fan club the likes of you can not even begin to understand who remain loyal.

And not just in America, but all over the World! Not since Abba in the late 70's have I seen anything like the Fans that Shania Twain gathers around her. There goodness and love follow her around and your opinion scarcely matters to be truthfull. Shania's fan's goodwill just radiates out and takes over whole Venue's Towns and Citys. I guess you missed that bit too.,

So hate her as you obviously do, but NEVER - EVER again try and put down Shania's fans by attempting to hurt the lady herself with your poisoned Pen.

That will cost you dearly in lost readers and advertisers... many of whom are now laughing at your recent revue and feeling very sorry that you can not share our Joy with Shania Twain and her amazing Band Live in concert.

Tom Waller
Station Controller Rigmar Radio
Ex North East Community Radio
Aberdeenshire
Scotland.

Awesome letter to this poor pathetic loser. I guess he forgot about the internet. I bet his email box is filled up by 9am when he gets in.

From Toby.........He did a five star column on a band you never heard of / He did a bluegrass review without an unkind word / He thought it was time to ask his boss for a raise / His boss said I "I can't tell if anybody is even reading your page / Yeah +So he thought, and he thought a little more / He caught a young hot star headed into town / And then he hid behind his typewriter and gunned the boy down / Here come the letters, the emails, the faxes / They raised him to $20,000 dollars after taxes / He's a happy critic............

It just shows the power Shania has, she is still a threat to the good ole boys after 10 years. Shania doesn't have to pretend to by "one of the guys" and act like a poser. She doesn't have to take shots at anyone in her marketing or promotion. All of Gretchen's supporters have to define her as the "anti-Shania", they can never say who she is because she has no identity on her own. She is the classic example of Music Row hypocrasy.

-Chris

__________________Shania's PlaceShania: often imitated, never duplicated!!

Tom
Thank you for that! That is an amazing valid response to this fellows attempt to make less of what Shania does for her fans. I think these folks just don't understand what a "fan" wants. If we all wanted perfect music hit after hit we would sit at home and listen to CDs. We want to interact with the artist. We want to "get to know" them in something that resembles a personal way. We want to validate the crazy attraction that we have for the artist and their work with a personal experience that the artist is real and human and perhaps even imperfect like the rest of us. The touching Shania does, both the physical (high fives etc) and the emotional (personal interactions with fans, her interaction with the band, and even her own tears) is so important to her fans. I'm sure the folks not on the floor area are less taken by it all but I'm very sure they are taken and leave the show somehow happier for it. I'm sad the tour is coming to an end because what she does is part of the good force of this world. I do think she's given enough love to us and recieved enough from us to carry all of us-Shania too-till the next tour. DOC

__________________
You touched a thousand hearts tonight, touched us one by one.
Songs that reached so deep inside to warm us like the sun.
Tonight was just one lyric in the ballad of your time,
A never-ending song of love and the reason for your rhyme.

Originally posted by DOC BILL Tom
Thank you for that! That is an amazing valid response to this fellows attempt to make less of what Shania does for her fans. I think these folks just don't understand what a "fan" wants. If we all wanted perfect music hit after hit we would sit at home and listen to CDs. We want to interact with the artist. We want to "get to know" them in something that resembles a personal way. We want to validate the crazy attraction that we have for the artist and their work with a personal experience that the artist is real and human and perhaps even imperfect like the rest of us. The touching Shania does, both the physical (high fives etc) and the emotional (personal interactions with fans, her interaction with the band, and even her own tears) is so important to her fans. I'm sure the folks not on the floor area are less taken by it all but I'm very sure they are taken and leave the show somehow happier for it. I'm sad the tour is coming to an end because what she does is part of the good force of this world. I do think she's given enough love to us and recieved enough from us to carry all of us-Shania too-till the next tour. DOC

Got that right!!!! We don't fly hundreds of miles for nothing. The critics don't seem to realize people have traveled from around the globe to catch a Shania concert, and how many friendships her music and concerts have created. Shania has found the best way to interact with 17,000 fans at a time. Notice how other artists like Kenny Chesney, and Tim McGraw are starting to do some of the things Shania has done on tour since COO, and no one says a thing about it. Always with Shania, they complain she goes to far, she is just glad handing, etc. Other people are copying her because they realize that Shania has been able to make a connection with her fans that lasts well beyond a 2 hour concert. Shania concerts are one big fan party.

-Chris

__________________Shania's PlaceShania: often imitated, never duplicated!!

Hi Guys, thank you very much for you kind and valid comments, I don't deserve them as I broke my own rule and let this Critic get to me somehow.

I got angry and let rip, and that pretty well reduces me to his level and now I am going to have to email him/her again and say sorry.

The fact that I did not agree with that revue is no excuse. The Critic is allowed to have an opinion that differs from my own and I now regret sending that email.

But now the GOOD NEWS, I am going to Timmins for Fan Con 2004. At last I can confirm, left a message on Tracy's Answerphone. I was so excited at NOT getting the Job with the Shackleton I forgot they are 6 hours behind us when we are on British Summer time. Ooops!

So that Critic can huff and puff he will NOT blow Shania away, we should all feel sorry for Him or Her, and NOT GET Angry as I obviously have as that person is missing a lot from life if they can not see the good in any Shania Concert.

Your post brought me to tears as you voiced how I was feeling about the article. Never doubt your 'gut feelings' or apologize for what you do or say.

As much as Shania is a World Wide Superstar she is still human. People seem to forget that and forget they are actually writing about a REAL PERSON who has feelings, family and fans that care about them.